1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 097,824, filed on Sept. 17, 1987, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,439, issued on Sept. 18, 1990 and entitled Prefabricated Dental Pontic, Pontic Connector and Assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Crown and bridge prosthodontics is the science and art of the complete restoration of one or more teeth and the replacement of one or more natural teeth with an artificial device. A bridge is used to replace at least one missing tooth and is supported by natural teeth. A bridge which is not cast in one piece includes a pontic which fills the edentulous space and a connector which connects the pontic to a retaining member such as a crown formed on an abutment tooth adjacent the pontic. In the conventional bridge, the pontic is joined to the retainer solely by means of a solder joint which forms the connector.
The primary purpose of the dental bridge is to receive the forces of occlusion and to transmit them through the abutments so that occlusion is restored to the patient, thereby contributing to mastication. The bridge should also augment the ability of the patient to enunciate and maintain the positions of the opposing teeth. The present day construction of a dental bridge is a time consuming, involved and complex process which requires the application of many independent procedures including the following: waxing, spruing, investing, casting, cleaning, trimming, cutting and stoning. The process, as conventionally practiced, is referred to colloquially as the "lost wax casting method" and, at present, is the universally accepted procedure for making a bridge. Following this procedure is not only time-consuming, but each step must be meticulously followed with the dental technician paying strict attention to detail to assure accuracy of the cast product and proper fit. It is also difficult to make any adjustments to a cast bridge to compensate for errors.
Constructing a dental bridge from a prefabricated assembly including a pontic and retaining member(s) offers the advantage of speed, simplicity, and substantial cost savings over the cast bridge. However, conventional solder has proven to be too weak for use as the sole connector between the pontic and retaining member, particularly for posterior bridges.